Olivier Safari, Head of the CAF Referees Committee, has addressed the controversy surrounding the "towel incident" during last week’s AFCON final between Morocco and Senegal. Safari clarified that removing Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s towel from the goal area was necessary, as such items can be interpreted as unsporting behavior intended to influence the match’s outcome or distract opponents. "The towel is not part of a player’s equipment," Safari told Canal+ Sport Afri

The UEFA Champions League league phase is heading for a dramatic finish. Arsenal and Bayern Munich have officially secured their places in the Round of 16 as top-eight finishers. However, the race for the remaining six direct qualification spots is wide open, with heavyweights like Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Barcelona still needing positive results in the final matchday to avoid the grueling two-legged play-off round. Meanwhile, historical powerhouses such a

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has delivered a stinging critique of Arne Slot, dismissing the Liverpool manager's claim that the club is in a "transition season." Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville argued that after a £450 million summer investment in stars like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, combined with contract extensions for Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool should be title contenders, not sitting in 6th place. The controversy comes amidst renewed rumor

Real Madrid is facing a significant legal setback as a Madrid court officially indicted the club's subsidiary, "Real Madrid Studio," for an alleged environmental crime related to "noise pollution." The ruling, issued after an 18-month investigation, stems from complaints by local residents who claimed that concerts hosted at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium significantly exceeded legal noise limits. This judicial order marks another victory for neighborhood associations, who pre

Liverpool manager Arne Slot hailed Mohamed Salah’s "extraordinary professionalism" following his return to the starting XI in a 3-0 victory over Marseille. Salah, who had been away for over a month with Egypt at the AFCON, played the full 90 minutes after just one day of training. The win propels Liverpool to 4th place in the Champions League table, keeping them on track for automatic qualification to the round of 16. Slot emphasized that Salah’s physical fitness and readines

Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has showered the "Lions of Teranga" with unprecedented rewards following their 1-0 extra-time victory over Morocco in the AFCON 2025 final. Each of the 28 players received $135,000 (75 million CFA francs) and a 1,500-square-meter plot of prime coastal land in the Petite-Côte tourism hub. Additionally, the entire squad was awarded the rank of Commanders of the National Order of the Lion, the country's highest honor. These lavish expend

Egypt’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Ashraf Sobhy, held a phone call with his Moroccan counterpart, Mohamed Saad Berrada, to promote brotherhood and reject sports fanaticism following the 2025 AFCON (concluded in Jan 2026). Both ministers emphasized that sports should serve as a bridge for cooperation rather than a source of friction, urging fans to maintain mutual respect and high sportsmanship. Minister Sobhy congratulated Morocco on successfully hosting the tournament, wh

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has strongly criticized the Senegalese national team following their brief walkout during the AFCON 2025 final against Morocco. Despite Senegal eventually securing a 1-0 victory in extra time to claim their second continental title, the match was marred by "unacceptable scenes" when the Senegalese squad left the pitch for 16 minutes to protest a controversial late penalty awarded to the hosts. Infantino expressed his disapproval on Instagram, s

The Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat hosts the ultimate African football showdown tonight as Morocco faces Senegal in the AFCON 2025 final. The hosts, led by Walid Regragui, are determined to secure their first title since 1976, ending a 50-year drought. Standing in their way is the 2021 champion, Senegal, looking to cement their status as the continent's powerhouse with a second trophy. Regragui highlighted the importance of psychological composure, while Senegalese c

The relevance of the AFCON 2026 third-place play-off is under fire as Liverpool and Manchester City fans demand the immediate return of Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. While modern football trends (like the Euros) have scrapped such fixtures to ease player burnout, Salah has a massive personal incentive to play: he is just one goal behind Morocco’s Brahim Diaz in the race for the Golden Boot (5 goals vs. 4). Adding fuel to the fire, Pep Guardiola  publicly expressed his wish

FIFA announced a staggering 500 million ticket requests for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, averaging 15 million applications per day. In a shocking twist, the most requested match is Colombia vs. Portugal in Miami on June 27, surpassing even the grand final in New York and the opening match in Mexico City. FIFA President Gianni Infantino called this overwhelming demand a "global statement" for the first-ever 48-team tournament. Fans from all 211 member ass

The Egyptian national team will face Benin at 6:00 PM tonight at the Adrar Stadium in Agadir, Morocco, as part of the Round of 16 in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Egypt qualified for this stage after topping Group B with 7 points, while Benin secured its place as the third-placed team in Group D. The winner of tonight's match will advance to face the winner of the Ivory Coast vs. Burkina Faso clash. Historical Context: Tonight marks the first official encounter between

Benin’s head coach, Gernot Rohr, described the upcoming AFCON Round of 16 match against Egypt as a "dream game" for any player. Speaking on Sunday, Rohr acknowledged that the Pharaohs hold a physical advantage after resting key players in their last group match. Despite Benin's exhaustion following a tough encounter with Senegal, Rohr insisted his team is ready to defy the odds and "flip the script" in Agadir. Rohr also commented on rumored qualification bonuses, stating that

Brazilian football icon Roberto Carlos underwent emergency heart surgery after a routine check-up for a small blood clot in his leg revealed a serious cardiac malfunction. According to reports from AS  on Wednesday, the surgery—initially expected to take 40 minutes—lasted nearly three hours due to unforeseen complications. Fortunately, the procedure was successful, and the legendary left-back remains under close observation for the next 48 hours. From his hospital bed, Carlos

Real Madrid delivered a heavy blow to its fans early in 2026, announcing that forward Kylian Mbappé has been diagnosed with a "sprained left knee" following an MRI scan on Wednesday. Although the club did not provide a specific recovery timeline, French outlet L'Équipe  reported that the French captain will be sidelined for at least three weeks. Consequently, Mbappé will officially miss the Spanish Super Cup scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia next month. The injury rules

Egypt’s head coach, Hossam Hassan, has announced a surprising starting lineup for today’s clash against Angola in the final round of the AFCON 2025 group stage. Having already secured qualification with 6 points, Hassan opted for several tactical changes and fresh faces to test the squad’s depth. The Starting XI: Goalkeeper:  Mostafa Shobeir. Defense:  Ahmed Fatouh, Mohamed Ismail, Hossam Abdelmaguid, Khaled Sobhy, Ahmed Eid. Midfield:  Mohannad Lashin, Mahmoud Saber, Ibrahim

Following Zamalek’s narrow 1-0 victory over Baladeyet El-Mahalla in the Egypt Cup, Manager Ahmed Abdel-Raouf addressed the media with a stark assessment of the club’s current state. The most significant revelation was his decision that midfielder Ahmed Hamdy will not feature in the team’s upcoming plans. Hamdy, who joined from CF Montréal in January 2024, has struggled to cement his place, recording only 21 appearances with four goal contributions. Abdel-Raouf highlighted the

Egyptian National Team Manager, Hossam Hassan, reaffirmed that the "Pharaohs" are playing for a win against Angola this Monday, despite having already secured their spot in the AFCON Round of 16 as Group B leaders. Speaking at Sunday’s press conference in Agadir, the 59-year-old coach emphasized that the technical staff views this final group stage match as a vital opportunity to fine-tune the squad's performance while maintaining utmost respect for the Angolan side's capabil

At AFCON 2025 in Morocco, African teams are captivating the world with vibrant dance routines that serve as more than mere celebrations. Inspired by Léopold Senghor’s philosophy that "Dance is the beginning of everything in Africa," these movements represent a deep-rooted form of storytelling, spirituality, and cultural resistance. Historically, dance was a psychological weapon against colonial oppression, embodying resilience and defiance. On the Moroccan pitch, each rhythm

Tunisia, led by head coach Sami Trabelsi, faces Uganda tonight at 10 PM at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat for their AFCON 2025 opener. Competing in Group C alongside Nigeria and Tanzania, the "Carthage Eagles" are desperate to snap a winless streak in opening matches that has lasted over 4,700 days, dating back to their 2013 victory against Algeria. Historically, Tunisia has dominated this fixture, winning all 6 previous encounters against Uganda with an aggregat